The picture shows another problem we have – overweight people. How much gas would we save if every American walked to every destination less than one mile away?
American consumers are showing signs of a shift in attitude, with a growing number of people making fuel economy a primary concern — a potentially worrisome sign for Detroit’s automakers.
More new car shoppers are looking for four-cylinder engines, while sales of V8-powered vehicles have fallen in recent weeks. Cars continue to regain market share from trucks.
And today, a survey by Consumer Reports, the bible of the big-spending baby boom generation, says 37% of people in the market for a vehicle want a more fuel-efficient model than they currently own, a jump from its previous surveys.
Of course, some still don’t get it:
One automaker is already hustling to get ahead of the curve. General Motors Corp. said Tuesday that it is launching a promotion that will allow California and Florida buyers of certain vehicles — including its all-new full-size SUVs — to get gasoline for $1.99 a gallon for 12 months, regardless of how far they drive.
“One automaker is already hustling to get ahead of the curve. General Motors Corp. said Tuesday that it is launching a promotion that will allow California and Florida buyers of certain vehicles — including its all-new full-size SUVs — to get gasoline for $1.99 a gallon for 12 months, regardless of how far they drive.”
Thats because GM has sunk so much money into big SUVs. It makes me wonder what, clueless morons are working there.
Wow! Its the 70’s all over again. Only this time lets head off a disaster and make leisure suits illegal BEFORE they start being trendy!
…to get gasoline for $1.99 a gallon for 12 months, regardless of how far they drive.
Reminds me of the potato-chip commercial: “Crunch a bunch! We’ll make more…”
That fits right in with the “if I want to buy a gas-guzzler, that’s none of your business…” mentality. The idea that it is okay to use more of a shared resource than necessary, just because you can afford the price-tag, is one of our biggest energy-related problems that needs fixing.
Nice to see the Bio-diesel is gaining credibilty as an alternative to petrolium – after years of pro/con arguments about ethanol.
THATS FUNNY….
Its something I point out to people with Pickup trucks.
WOW, you bought a pickup, and it gets 18mpg or LESS…
THEn its empty and not carrying anything, for 99% of the time….DUH..
For the price of GAS, you could get something with better MPG, and BORROW a friends truck, for the savings…and STILL have $100’s per year EXTRA.. AND THEN, when you save enough money, BUY a NEW truck.
He sold his truck and bought a better MPG car.
NOt to be MEAN:
BUT we could change over to Alcpohol in 3 years…
GM MAKES the alcohol cars for Brazil…
and change that HI-OCTANE tank at the gas stations to ALCOHOL…
MisterRustic,
What the hell do small cars and houses have to do with Collectivism? I certainly don’t remember any diatribes in Rand’s ‘Atlas Shrugged’ or ‘The Fountain Head’ about the evils of small houses. If consumers want small economical cars then good for them.
People want smaller cars because they are cheaper to operate. I’d rather put the money towards the principal of my mortgage. Isn’t that the intelligent thing to do? But I guess contemporary North American society doesn’t really care about being financially responsible as long as they can have their bling bling now. I like nice fast cars myself, but I also recognize that it would be financially foolish to spend my hard earned money in such a way.
I would guess that most people driving around in big expensive SUVs are only a few paychecks away from bankruptcy. Good luck to them with the interest only mortgages, maxed-out lines of credit, and credit cards at 28%.
Not only would people save money if they could walk by not being obese, but they would save money on not buying so much food.
Everyone has seen the guy at the movie theater who has a huge bucket of popcorn, huge soda, and takes up two seats.
MisterRustic:
Wow! Your right!
I’ve been going in the totally wrong direction, its time I throw out my laptop and purchase a nice beefy mainframe; and what was I thinking about getting a cellphone for?
Probably should get rid of my mp3 player too, if I drive my mainframe around in a tractor-trailer I could hold way more music.
MisterRustic,
Your car is not a penis extension.
By the way, it really doesn’t matter how big it is… but mostly, how well you handle it, so there is no need to try compensate for something, LOL!
MisterRustic was being sarcastic, I think… or at least I hope…
I’m so glad more people are giving up big SUVs, Vans, and Trucks. I’m driving an old, old Grand Marquis right now, which gets a modest 24 mpg. When it dies (soon), I’m planning on a nice Toyota Corolla.
I’m with poster #5, what’s the point of these big vehicles if it’s empty 99% of the time? It drives me nuts seeing people drive these big vehicles to work every day with nothing in them but themselves.
And don’t worry about us people in Detroit. Chevy has their solution of subsidising gas prices, and Ford has developed a hybrid Escape (which still gets far less gas milage than a regular Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla – let alone the hybrid versions fo these cars). These band-aid fixes give us at least another few years to think of an even stupider solution!
Fear not! There’s no need to worry about scarce oil supplies. Here’s a blast from the past (May 2001) that reminds us NOT to change our blessed lifestyle…
http://www.garymarks.com/video/Plentiful.Oil/Plentiful.Oil.htm
(a short Flash video I made — enjoy or weep, as you see fit)
I wonder how much fuel would be saved if we all lost 14 pounds in weight?
I walk at least 3-7 miles a day but I also live in a city that is conducive to it (sidewalks and store all along the way). The suburban sprawl is a place where a car is necessary to get around because walking along the shoulder of a highway is boring.
#14, I agree. I have to drive a car since I’m so far away from everything. Suburban sprawl is terrible. I’m taking a class at my college over the summer, and I would love to ride my bike when the weather is good, but it’s nearly impossible. I can’t ride my bike along the highway because there’s not a big enough shoulder, and riding along any major road would take way too long because I would have to stop at all of the crossroads.
When I move out and get a job, I’m definately going to try to live as close to that office as possible.
An alternative to walking…bicycles! If your fat ass doesn’t like to walk and wants to constantly be on wheels, here’s your solution. Apparently it works out very well in Asia and some parts of Europe, definitely don’t see as many fat asses there either (it’s not just genetic, it’s the damn lifestyle).
The American lifestyle is about hoarding as much as we can possibly have in the moment. There’s nothing wrong with that?
13,
ASK your lawn mower if it uses LESS gas, for LESS weight…NOT much.
MOST cars have a single weight, and a MAX weight, Carry weight. If you are over 200lbs, dropping 40 lbs CAN save some gas. But if you have 4 people in the CAR, it WONT matter.
17,
and breathing that CO2 along the highway, will cost you more in the HOSPITAL…
US cities USEd to be designed around walking, and TROLLIES… Then the Motor industy bought them out and replaced it ALL with buses…
THEn the neibhorhood stores went AWAY, and quickie marts jumped in…
BORROW a friends truck, for the savings…
what if your friends take the same advice?
it”s collectivism if you’re forcing people to get these smaller cars, which is the tone of the post. It’s also what higher mileage requirements get you. People saying why do they need such large SUVs, well the answer is in the CAFE requirements. They made big cars disappear, so only the SUVs give the space people want.
#20) No one is forcing you to buy a smaller car here, but doing so sure is a beneficial thing for your wallet, the country’s wallet, and the environment’s wallet.
19,
THEn rent one…
UHAUL, pensky, and the rest…
I DINT say SMALLER, I SAID BETTER…
My 1986 OLDS gets 30-35 MPG…
the TECh is out there, we just have to MAKE them USE IT…